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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00120 Aug 2005

 
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Post 3
Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

Continuing the answer to the question "is seethaa powerful?" now another 
question arises out of curiosity. Does raamaa recognize at any time seethaa is 
powerful enough to defend herself on her own or does she needs a support from 
her husband always? 

I wish to hear from learned scholars in the forum. 

The following will be a point I wish to present before the scholars of this 
list, as a sort of reply to the question raised. Of course the scholars can say 
whether this point is ok or not. Why I say that is clear from the comment below.

While seethaa is describing the kaakaasuran episode in sundhara kaaNdam to sri 
hanumaan, she says to hanumaan "raama, breaking his sleep [when the blood from 
my breasts fell on raamaa due to the action of kaakaasuran] said -  

aaseevisha iva krudhDha: svasan vaakyam abhaashatha: || 24th slokam
kEna thE naaga naasa ooru  vikshatham vai sthana antharam
ka: kreedathi sarOshEna pancha vakthrEna bhOginaa|| 25th slokam 
38th sargam sundhara kaaNdam

meaning: raama, sharpened with a lot of anger, spoke this sentence [which fell] 
like poison -"hey [seethaa], one who has thighs like the tusker of the 
elephant, who spoilt your bosoms? Who is playing with a five-headed snake, 
which is angry?
[sarOshEna - with a lot of vengeance? Or a lot of anger]  

Comment: I read in a book of tamil translation - of this slOkam which reads - 
unadhu maarbu evanaal thunbuRuththap pattadhu, kOpaththinaal vaai thiranthuLLa 
5 thalai naagaththudan evan viLaiyaadugiRaan?". 

This leaves to a doubt here, whether, raama identifies himself as the angry 
five-headed snake or he means seethaa as the angry snake. That he is angry is 
clear from previous slOkam - by "aaseevisha iva krudhDha:" and vaakyam 
abhaashatha:. As a continuation of expression of his anger, he also takes a 
grass bit and sends it as a brahmaasthram, which is well known.

But think for a moment. Here the affected party is seethaa - so it is normal to 
expect she is full of anger - 'sarOshEna'. Further the word bhOginaa is 
feminine gender, indicating seethaa, the female snake, and not bhOgin, which 
means raama himself. So, my point here is raama recognizes "her capacity" that 
she is more than capable to defend herself in case of adversity by calling her 
a 5 headed snake. But she chooses to keep silent, so that he takes action, 
which enhances his stature as 'saraNaagatha vathsalan'. 

Another argument which can be advanced by scholars in favour of raamaa, rather 
than seethaa is - In the earlier slokams, raama says to seethaa, "hey seethaa, 
are you not capable to shy away even this crow?" - which means she is incapable 
even to scare a crow and needs support and protection, always, from him.

But suddenly how can you say raama recognizes her capacity? My answer is that 
the couple is making fun with each other. When he realizes that the damage is 
already done, he recognizes her capacity as well, and uses his valour.  

Another beauty of a point to prove seethaa is capable is available again in 
sundhara kaaNdam - after getting a 2 months time from raavaNa seethaa says to 
him -

asandhEsaath thu raamasya thapasa: cha anupaalanaath |
na thvaam kurmi dhasagreeva bhasma bhasmaarha thEjasaa || 5-22-20

dhasagreeva = O RaavaNa! 
bhasma arha = (although you are) suited to be burnt into ashes 
asandhEsaath = not having mandate; 
raamasya = of raama; 
anupaalanaath = (and) preserving 
thapasa: = austerity; 
na kurmi = I am not making 
thvaam bhasmam = you into ashes 
thEjasaa = (with my) glory.

Meaning: "O RaavaNaa! Although you are suited to be burnt into ashes, not 
having the mandate of Raama and preserving austerity, I am not reducing you 
into ashes with my glory."

Seethaa is very clear here in this slOkam - I do not have the mandate of raamaa 
to kill you or burn you to ashes with my own capacity, for having seen me with 
eyes filled with kaamam [about which she expresses in slokams 14 15, 17, and 18 
of this sargam 22 of sundhara kaaNdam].
 
Any more doubts about the capability of seethaa please?

Dhaasan

 Vasudevan m.g.

PS: sorry for delay in serving this post as I was away for more than a week on 
official business as usual. 





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